Courses, Conference and Call

Crash Course

The incoming PGY 2 residents spend their first 5 working days in a “crash course.” This includes orientation to the information systems at each facility, but also provides a concise review of neuroanatomy, work on clinical problem solving, and a review of neurological emergencies. The UCSD stroke service also specifically addresses stroke code management during this time.

Grand Rounds

Throughout the year, Friday mornings are reserved for didactic education. Neurology Grand Rounds are held Friday mornings. The format varies from presentation of interesting or unusual cases to topics of current basic or clinical neuroscience interest.

Grand rounds is usually followed by recurring didactic courses that rotate so all residents are exposed to the entire curriculum. One hour each Friday morning is used flexibly, sometimes for resident-led reviews of programmed reading from a neurology textbook, for journal club, morbidity/mortality case discussions, or for oral presentations.

Grand Rounds speakers often examine a patient for the benefit of the residents during this time as well. In addition, monthly stroke team meetings review recent stroke codes.

Periodic neuroscience research seminars are also offered on Fridays.

Clinical Conferences

Residents rotating on the clinical services as well as others who are interested attend a series of weekly patient-based clinical conferences. These include neuroradiology and neuropathology conferences, as well as monthly epilepsy and neurovascular conferences.

Residents may attend the monthly San Diego Neurology Society meetings free of charge. These meetings are held at the UCSD Faculty Club and feature dinner and a guest speaker.

Call System

While on service at UCSD Hillcrest, a “night float” system releases each resident from daytime clinical obligations and provides the overnight neurological consultations and admissions at Hillcrest. Residents proposed and championed this system to significantly reduce the number of call days, resulting in a call frequency of about once per week at this site.

The call system is in a period of transition at the VA/Thornton Hospital. Night call is taken from home during half of the year, during which residents assigned to this service, as well as those on elective months, EEG, EMG, and pediatric neurology, take turns on call at this site.

During the second half of the year, a night float system is in place, which releases each resident from daytime clinical obligations and provides the overnight neurological consultations and admissions at the VA and Thornton hospital.

This mixed system is in place while the La Jolla hospitals transition towards a year-round night float system.

Each resident on call has a senior resident with whom cases are discussed, and in turn that resident presents cases to the attending neurologist.

Every resident averages at least 1 day per week in which they are free from any hospital and related duties.